Five Houston Astros Who Could be Dealt as MLB Trade Deadline Approaches

The Houston Astros appear to be lined up as clear buyers ahead of the July 31 MLB trade deadline.

Houston leads the American League West Division and ended June with the best record of any team in the month. With July approaching, the Astros can work to shore up key areas of the team for a playoff chase.  

While the offense has picked up, Houston has a key issue at first base, where veteran Christian Walker has not been able to find his stride at the plate for most of the season.

Since the Astros are buyers, they’re unlikely to part with what many see as their best asset, left-handed pitcher Framber Valdez, who is pitching on his final year of team control. Houston will need him for a stretch drive. Houston will also be unlikely to part with starters, unless they’re part of major deals for star players.

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None of the players below are centerpieces. But they can be used in combination to make bigger deals.

Here are five players that could be included in trades to make the Astros better for the home stretch. For this exercise, only players on the 40-man roster are included. Prospects will be highlighted in another piece.

OF Jake Meyers

Meyers has never had a full season like the one he’s having right now, which means it could be the right time for Houston to sell high on him. He’s batting over .300. The power hasn’t come around, but prospective trade partners will like the average and defense.

He could be dealt with Chas McCormick closing in on a return and Cam Smith now fully integrated into the outfield. Meyers is the kind of player that could bring in a solid starting pitcher for rotation depth, in part because he still has arbitration years ahead of him. 

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INF Brendan Rodgers

The versatile infielder is on the 10-day injured list as of right now. He hasn’t hit well this season, but he has a solid glove, can play multiple positions and can add value to a contender with multiple players and multiple teams.

Given how the infield and outfield situation has evolved this season, Rodgers feels like an asset that can be dealt. The rib injury to Jeremy Peña could change the math on dealing Rodgers.

OF Jacob Melton

Teams will ask about Melton as he made his MLB debut a few weeks ago, flashed a solid bat and made some nice defensive plays before he sprained an ankle.

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The Astros used outfield depth to re-acquire pitcher Justin Verlander at the 2023 trade deadline. Houston has enough depth at that position to do so again, though they may want to hang onto Melton now that’s on a service time clock and he’s under their control for six seasons.

P Colton Gordon

The Astros may have to give up a starter to get a starter, and this is where Gordon and the next highlighted player come into the equation. Gordon is a left-hander who has thrown well in several starts for Houston due to injuries in the rotation.

He’s not a power arm, but he has a terrific strikeout-to-walk ratio and would play well with a team that has a pitcher’s park like San Francisco’s Oracle Park.

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P Ryan Gusto

Gusto is the other starter that could be on the trade block to help make a deal for a more accomplished starting pitcher or even the left-handed bat Houston believes it needs.

The right-hander, who is also a rookie, has a higher ERA than Gordon but can slide into the bullpen as well. His strikeout-to-walk ratio isn’t as good. But he’s provided Houston depth as a fourth or fifth starter and that would be the expectation for his new team in a deal that would likely include multiple players.

The status of the Astros’ starters on the injured list could play a role in what Houston does with either pitcher at the deadline.

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